Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

13 May 2004   12:35PM EDT  (left)
6 May 2002   8:45PM EDT  (right)

My thanks to Dr. J. Donald Lafontaine of Agriculture Canada for confirming my identification of the specimen at left above, from the specimen.

Hypena humuli is one of about 10 species of Hypena recorded from the Ottawa area.

The forewing of Hypena humuli is a tan color, with variable degrees of dark brown occurring in the costal third to half of the wing.  In the specimens illustrated above, the dark brown shading is mainly evident in the median, with just traces in the basal area and below the apical patch.  The postmedial line is yellowish and makes a fairly sharp V shortly below the costa, outside the reniform spot.  The subterminal line is usually evident as a series of dots.  The light-colored apical patch is usually emphasized by dark brown shading below it in the subterminal area.  According to Handfield (1999), this species is quite variable in appearance.  I would estimate the wingspan to be about 2.5 cm.

The larvae of Hypena humuli feed on nettle (Urtica species) and hops (Humulus lupulus) (Handfield, 1999).  According to Handfield, this species has three generations per year in my general area, with adult flight seasons from mid-May to mid-June, from the beginning of July to mid-August, and from the end of August to late October.

I have recorded this species in 2002, on 6 May; in 2004, on 13 May.